In many semiconductor components or integrated semiconductor devices formed therefrom, a reduction of the mobility of the charge carriers involved occurs as the operating temperature of the material regions respectively involved increases. This has the effect that the gradient in the transfer characteristic of the semiconductor component respectively considered decreases as the temperature increases. The phenomenon wherein the threshold voltage of the semiconductor component considered also decreases as the temperature increases often occurs at the same time. This has the effect, in the case of MOS transistors, by way of example, that an unstable range and a stable range form with regard to the temperature development. At gate voltages below a specific point of intersection (temperature-stable point) in the family of characteristic curves, the current to be transported and thus the thermal power to be taken up increase as the temperature increases. This may lead to an unstable behavior of the semiconductor component. On the other hand, at gate voltages above the temperature-stable point, the current decreases as the temperature increases. When viewed overall, it is possible—not only in the case of MOS transistors—for thermal overloads to form which change or restrict the operating parameters and the operation of a semiconductor component as such or even lead to the destruction of the semiconductor component.